The one thing you see from that video is how unhelpful the back markers were around the half (?) of the lap before Hulk hit Hamilton, if they'd been more co-operative then Hulk perhaps wouldn't have caught up with him

I think the Hulk accident sheds a little light on Hamilton in the last three years.

Hulk is better than Perez: more aggressive, more mature, and I'd say faster. But nowhere near as good as Lewis who I don't think has ever make a mistake like that.

But McLaren chose Perez. Why? He's the Jenson-friendly option.

Not sure if I am somehow missing something here, Lewis didn't need the excuse of a wet track to hit everything that moved in 2011 and has had plenty of other mishaps. I might agree that Lewis is better than the hulk but using one mistake as an example of why, particularly in a race where he was challenging for the lead in a Force India, is...curious.

Not sure if I am somehow missing something here, Lewis didn't need the excuse of a wet track to hit everything that moved in 2011 and has had plenty of other mishaps. I might agree that Lewis is better than the hulk but using one mistake as an example of why, particularly in a race where he was challenging for the lead in a Force India, is...curious.

Well afaik we're both missing any accident that involved Lewis getting so far out of shape that he hit someone he was trying to pass who was giving him a couple of metres of space.

Last year he had ONE simple case of causing a collision, Massa in Singapore, the others were all complex.

The the Key to that incident was that Hamilton had the wisdom to migrate to the dry line on the right, while Hulk, on the other hand was so caught up in the moment that he dove straight down the inside not even realising the left hand side is slippery. The only way hulkcould have stopped the spin was by accepting he lost the inside of the next turn and back off. I think it's just a "rookie error" on Hulk's part.

If they fix the problem with tyres a win in one of the first 4 races is not that difficult to happen. Look at how Ferrari started the season and what happened in Malaysia. Rain is almost secured for at least one of the Australia,Malaysia,China trio, Hamilton sure could take advantage of that.

The the Key to that incident was that Hamilton had the wisdom to migrate to the dry line on the right, while Hulk, on the other hand was so caught up in the moment that he dove straight down the inside not even realising the left hand side is slippery. The only way hulkcould have stopped the spin was by accepting he lost the inside of the next turn and back off. I think it's just a "rookie error" on Hulk's part.

+1You really couldn't have summed up the situation any better mate. This is my exact thinking. I personally define this as a racing incident but I think it's clear who the driver at fault is.

I've said it before, Lewis has matured this year. How much? We will only find out in 2013 & 2014. But had there not been so many cock-ups from McLaren pit stops & strategy this year, I'm not sure it would have been close in Brazil. I think Lewis would have possibly won the WDC before then.

You really couldn't have summed up the situation any better mate. This is my exact thinking. I personally define this as a racing incident but I think it's clear who the driver at fault is.

I agree normally it would have been an incident, but I think rightly so the stewards started cracking down a lot harder on the younger drivers later in the season.

I've said it before, Lewis has matured this year. How much? We will only find out in 2013 & 2014. But had there not been so many cock-ups from McLaren pit stops & strategy this year, I'm not sure it would have been close in Brazil. I think Lewis would have possibly won the WDC before then.

that 108 points would have put Lewis 17 points in front of Seb, even without adjusting Seb's point totals.

Every driver had his own fair share of misfortunes this year; it just so happen that Lewis suffered more than others.

1. For every Spain for Hamiton, Vettel got his Abu Dhabi.2. For every Europe for Hamilton, Vettel got his Malaysia. And worse for Vettel since he got slashed by a backmarker under the blue flag and not while fighting for position.3. For every Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Brazil for Hamilton, Vettel got his Valencia and Monza. But of course, this is not really comparable since Lewis was in the lead in 3 races when he retired, and Vettel only once in Valencia.

But I noticed something which might be coincidence that Hamilton reliability issues mostly cropped up after his announced move to Mercedes.

Without a doubt Lewis would have been unbeatable if the damn car would have held together and the team would not have made too many mistakes. The only bad thing is, that so far the team and car he will be driving for next year, only seemed worse.

Without a doubt Lewis would have been unbeatable if the damn car would have held together and the team would not have made too many mistakes. The only bad thing is, that so far the team and car he will be driving for next year, only seemed worse.

No, but one can not say that Mercedes had shown huge improvements from 2011 to 2012 either.

If Renault/Lotus can go from a very shaky 5th in the WCC, to an untouchable 4th so can Merc. I would go as far as to say if Grosjean had not missed scoring points 10 times , mostly due to his own stupidity Lotus might have taken 3rd from McLaren.

I hate that, the way it unfairly reflects upon the driver. Trulli's reputation for not having any racepace was partly to do with this very thing - that he put the car places it didn't belong.

Indeed. Equally drivers who do the opposite (race very well but qualify poorly, relatively) get tarred with the same brush, but I guess that's the way of the world.

If Mercedes can deliver a car that's reliable and doesn't eat the tyres I'm sure Hamilton will show what it's capable of. The trouble is after this season I wouldn't be totally confident that Mercedes's problems have been cured.

If you have been following even remotely the last 3 years of mercedes, you might be worrying that hamilton is in for 3 years (probably less, if he was smart and put performance clauses in the contract) of sheer hell. I am, I consider it a waste of one of the best drivers around.

If you have been following even remotely the last 3 years of mercedes, you might be worrying that hamilton is in for 3 years (probably less, if he was smart and put performance clauses in the contract) of sheer hell. I am, I consider it a waste of one of the best drivers around.

I agree fully, as a fan of both Hamilton and McLaren I am still devastated with this move.

The fastest driver is moving to the 5th or 6th best team in F1. I am delighted to say that I can't wait to see Lewis charge through the field, making every single driver hate him even more. I think he needed a change and a move to Mercedes was ideal for him. I do believe he'll be back at McLaren if Red Bull or Ferrari doesn't take him onboard once Vettel leaves or Alonso retires.

His drives this year especially on qualifying was extremely special. The only driver to have made Q3 throughout the season, the most poles I reckon as well? He had the best car this season but probably the worst reliability in terms of team collaboration and car reliability itself. I hope Mercedes can give him a decent car in 2014 if not next year. I had all my bets on Vettel winning the championship once Lewis' car retired in Singapore from pole and I was right all along. I am sorry for Fernando who drove the best all season but even 2 DNFs can come back to haunt you at the end. Vettel is a fantastic three time WDC but he comes 2nd best to Alonso & Lewis.